Are you a hoarder or ruthless about your possessions?
Young woman is sitting on the floor with clothes wearing hat
Personal experience has shown me that hoarding is down to nature not nurture. Of my twin boys, one really likes to hold on to “stuff” and feels responsible for his possessions. while the other is really selective about what he needs to keep. Obviously it’s easier for some if us to let clutter go.
Recently I was did a little “stealth clearing” of a mountain of soft toys in said child hoarder’s bedroom while he was at school. I wondered what reaction this would get. (I had decided the first stage of my intervention was to pack them into the loft. Some things he’s had since birth and it’s not for me to rip them out of his loving arms just yet!)
However, the room is dusted and tidied and he has slept in there for over a week and hasn’t even noticed. This started me thinking about how we get very bogged down in our lives and how we live and after a while we stop looking around us at our environment. The reality is that we could let go of lots of things that we don’t use without even noticing.
A Place for Everything
Because of my focus on Feng Shui, I try to ensure that my environment is kept in balance. From time to time I find myself checking my home to see if I’m practicing what I preach. I may see something and realise that, not only is it an item I haven’t touched in at least a month, but I’m not likely to use it in another month either. And what’s more, I probably need to dust it! It can be liberating to just get rid of the said item instead.
This removes the need to keep moving things from the “wrong” place as much too. It seems as if I’m forever moving the children’s possessions from one place to another and honestly, it gets really boring!
It’s a misconception that you have to have a minimalist lifestyle to have good Feng Shui. However, it’s all about balance – too little and a home can look barren, too much and the energy is blocked. The problem often occurs if there is too much “stuff” without a home. Interiors magazines are full of beautiful homes chockablock full of possessions but each of these items has a place.
Let It Go in Easy stages
If letting go of possessions isn’t easy for you, then its important not to think too hard about each thing or make too big a deal about the decision-making process. After a while it will become easier. My advice, if you struggle to get rid of possessions, is to pack things away first, maybe store them in the shed or garage (out of sight) and then get rid of them without looking through the bag again.
The Benefits
In Feng Shui there’s a philosophy that you can only attract new energy if there is room for it. You must first make space for it. This is why things feel great after you have cleared out clutter. The feel-good factor is the presence of stronger energy in your home.
By letting go of clutter you let in fresh energy and get the following benefits:
- Space for newer items, that you could love more.
- Fresh energy in terms of new opportunities.
- You can find things more easily, so you save time and personal energy on a daily basis.
- A clearer space, uncluttered by items full of emotional history, which can be liberating.
We could all do with being more Elsa!
#letitgo #bemoreelsa #declutter